Rail-joint.



No. 814,772. PATENTED MAR. 18, 1906.

' J DAVIES.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1905.

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JQNAH DAVIES, OF DRUMS, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.

Application filed June 3, 1905. Serial No- 263,673-

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoNAH DAVIES, a citi zen of the United States,residing at Drums, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which thefol-. lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to rail-joints, and

articularly to an improved splice-bar, having for its objects to producea comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character in whichfree expansion of the rails under the influence of heat and cold ispermitted, one whereby the meeting ends of the rail-sections will befirmly and securely connected, and this without the formation ofbolt-holes in the rail-webs and consequent weakening of the latter, andone whereby the rails will be securely fixed against relative verticalmovemeint, thus to obviate pounding of the rail en s.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter in which the rails may be readily assembled, one in which therails may during the operation of assembling be brought accurately inposition, and one whereby the rails will when in connected position befirmly clamped in the splicing member.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a splicebar or member embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of arail-joint, showing the splicebar in applied position. Fig. 3 is asection taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a pair of rail-sections of usualconstruction and material and each comprising a tread, a web, and abase-flange of ordinary form, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 3,these railsections being adapted for assemblage in endwise relation andto be connected by a splicing member or bar 2 and a clamping member orfish-plate 3, as more fully hereinafter explained.

The splicing bar or member 2, which is cast or otherwise formed in asingle piece, comprises a base portion or plate 4, designed to seatbeneath the rails, a longitudinally-extending side portion 5, adapted tobear at one side of the rail between the tread and base-flange of thelatter and having an undercut face 6, forming, in conjunction with thebase 4, a recess 7 to receive one side of the base-flange of the rail,there being formed at the normally inner edge of the member 2 avertically-uprising longitudinally-extending flange 8, having atsuitable spaced intervals bolt openings or perforations 9. Provided atthe longitudinal center of the member 2 and preferably formed integraltherewith is a bearing block or head 10 of cross-sectional form,corresponding to that of the rail and constituting an abutment forlimiting the entrance of the rails into the splicing member 2 and forobviating longitudinal movement of the latter when applied for.connecting the rail-sections, there being extended through suitablealined openings 11 in the head 10 and flange 8 strengthening members orbolts 12, which serve to strengthen the side portion or flange 8 andwhich receive nuts 13, bearing upon the outer face of said flange, andnuts 14, adapted to bear against the clampingplate 3, through whichlatter the bolts 12 eX- tend when the parts are in assembled osition.The clamping member 3 is in the orm of an ordinary fish-plate of across-sectional shape to fit against the rail-Webs between the tread andbase-flange, this plate being normally secured in place by clampingelements or bolts 15, threaded through the openin s 9.

n practice and in order to assemble the parts the bolts 12 and 15 areremoved, and the rail-sections 1 enter longitudinally into the splicingmember or bar 2 until they contact at their inner ends with the block10, after which the clamping-plate 3 is placed in position and the bolts12 inserted and secured by means of the nuts 13 and 14, which latterhold the plate 3 a ainst the side of the rail, after which the bolts 15are entered in the openings 9 and manipulated for clamping member 3securely in place and pressing it tightly against the rail-sections,whereby the latter are securely clamped between the plate 3 and sideportion 5 of the splice-bar. It will be observed that under thisconstruction the formation of bolt-openings through the rails isrendered unnecessary, thus obviating weakening of the rails andpermitting their free expansion and contraction under the influences ofclimatic changes, and, further, that relative vertical movement of therails is overcome, thus preventing pounding of the rail ends.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a comparatively simpleinexpensive device of this character admirably adapted for theattainment of the ends in view, it being understood that minor changesin the details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. A splicingmember for railway rails comprising a base portion and a pair of spacedside portions, one of said'portions being adapted to bear upon-one sideof the rail, clamping elements entered through the other side portion, aclamping member adapted to bear against the other side of the rail andto be maintained in place by the clamping elements, a bearing-blockprovided between the ends of the splicing member, and a strengtheningelement extended through said block and the last-named side portion ofthe spring member.

2. splicing member for railway rails comprising a base portion and apair of spaced side portions, a bearing-head provided on said member ata point between its ends, a clamping member, clamping elements engagedwith one of the side portions and adapted to act upon said clampingmember for maintaining the latter in clamping position, a strengtheningelement entered through the head and last-named side portion, and nutstapped onto the strengthening element and designed to bear respectivelyagainst the said side portions and clamping member.

3. A splicing member for railway-rails comprising a base portion and apair of spaced side portions, clamping-bolts threaded through one ofsaid side portions, a clamping-plate adapted to bear upon the rails andto be acted upon by the clamping-bolts, a bearing-head provided on thesplicing member at a point between the ends of the latter, a pair ofstrengthening-bolts entered through the head and last-named sideportion.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

J ONAH DAVIES.

Witnesses WALTER F.B1sHLINE, PAUL WINTERS.

